Shock absorber



May 13 1924 M. E. CHANDLER SHOCK ABSORBER Filed Jan. 10. 1921 Patented May 1133, i924.

MILTON E. CHANDLER OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T STRQMEERG FRESH CORPORATION, OF CHECAGU, ILLINOES, A QORLPOBATIO'N 0Y5 ILLIETGIE.

Application filed January 10, 1921. 'fierial life. 438,128.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON E. CHANDLER, a citizen of the United Stdtes, residing at Chicago, in the county'of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a'certain new and useful improvement in Shock Absorbers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a i part of this specification. This invention relates to shock absorbing devices for use in connection with vehicles. The invention has its particular utility incidental to a vehicle in which the running gear and frame are connected by springs for absorbing ordinary shocks incident to travel over rough places in a roadway, but, of course, is not limited in its application to such a mechanical organization.

The primary aim of this invention is to provide a shock absorbing device for overcoming the reaction ofsprings when subjected to relatively great shocks, and to absorb such shocks both upon encountering the rough spots in the roadway and upon recoil or reaction of the springs or other instrumentalities forming the connection.

Another object of the invention is to obtain the desired result through inserting beac tween the runninggear and body of a vehicle a yieldable and rogressively increas-' ing resistance to shoe or sudden motion; which will, through a limited degree of motion, be inactive,.but which, upon tendency as to create motion beyond the prescribed limits, in either direction,'w1ll check such movement and relieve undue vibrations,

making more smooth and comfortable the riding qualities of the vehicle.

see A further object of the invention is to construct a device of the class referred to, 'which may be quickly and easily installed in operative position on the conventionalform of automobile running gear, without as material alteration of the vehicle structure,

and which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture, and strong and durable.

I Briefly stated, the invention comprises two relatively movable members, one of which is provided with one or more friction shoes, and the other with a surface to be engaged by said shoes. The member having the said surface is provided with means for bringing the shoes into engagement with the surface when relative rotative movement of the members occurs in either direction beyond certain prescribed limits, thereby setting up a resistance to such movement and progressively increasing said resistance to a maximum degree, at t e same time. always permitting relative movement of the members so that no fracture of the parts is possible. A particular construction which I prefer to use will be described and shown, but I reserve the right to alter the details thereof in so far asv the claims permit.

As distinguished from the prior art my invention operates whereby the arresting or checking means is actuated to bring not only greater pressure between the relatively movable members, but to increase the area of contact. 7

A more concrete understanding of my'invention may be obtained from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a vehicle showing one application-of- -the device of my invention thereto;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken onthe line 2-2 of Figure 3; and I Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 10 designates the frame or chassis, 11 one of the axles of the vehicle, front or rear, as the case may be. In the present instance, the chassis is mounted on the axle through the medium of an'ordinary leaf spring 12 pivotally connected at 13 to the free end of the chassis and secured to the axle by means of -bolts 14. The invention is shown applied between the chassis and axle, and'as aving a certain relation thereto, which will be described in detail later. The shock absorber of my invention is shown at 15 and is. mounted on'the frame 10, the shock .absorberhaving an arm 16, which is connected by an adjustable link 17, with the axle 11.

Referring now particularly to the pie ferred embodiment of the invention, as disclosed in Fi res 2 and 3, I provide a base plate 18. T is plate 18 is circular in form and is secured to the chassis or frame 10 by Mill means of a bolt 19, which is adapted to pass through a suitable opening (not shown) provided in the chassis, the bolt receiving a suitable nut or the like for retaining the plate in position. A. lug 20 engages in another opening (not shown) formed in the chassis, or beneath one edge of the chassis to prevent rotation of the plate.

A stud 21 extends from the center of the plate and is adapted to receive the hub portion 22 of the drum 23. The free end of the stud 21 is reduced and threaded to receive a nut 24 having a washer 25 therebeneath for retaining the drum against displacement. The drum 23 is provided with a peripheral wall 26 and carries a cam 27 having, in the present instance, four high points 28, 28' and 29 and 29. As shown, the cam is a single casting with the hub 22'and provided with side portions, 30 and 31, which are riveted as at 32 '32 to the drum 23, but, of course this structure may be varied, if desired, it being possibleto cast the cam integrally with the drum. lhe cam portions are hollow in order to lighten the construction and reduce -cost of manufacture. The cam is provided with the fiat surfaces 33 *and 34, and is-adapted to assume normally a position shown in Figure 2.

As set forth briefly hereinbefor'e, the object is to set up a progressively increasing resistance to movement between the elements 18 and 23 and l accomplish this by means of the spring shoes 35 and 36, said shoes consisting of spring strips normally of less radius than the radius of the wall 26, the intermediate portions of the shoes or strips 35 and 36 being looped as at 37 and 38, respectively, about pins 39 and 40, respectively, cast with or otherwise carried by the plate 18. The free ends of the shoes 35 and 36 are bent inwardly as at 41 and 42, respectively, to embrace the free ends of spring strips 43 and 44, respectively. The spring strips 43 and 44 expand inwardly toward the stud 21, and contact lightly with the flat surfaces 33 and 34 of the cam. 27. It will be seen that the shoe 35 and 36 and strips 43 and 44 complete a toggle construction.

In operation, the device is mounted as shown in Figure 1. It will be evident that when ordinary unevenness-is encountered in a roadway, the slight vibration of the axle relative the frame of the vehicle will be unrestricted, as the flat surfaces 33 and 34 will have a relatively negligible effect upon the friction shoes 35 and 36. However, when a severe shock is imparted to the axle, the arm 16 will be raised, rotating the drum 23 and circular Wall 26 relative the plate 18. This rotation carries the cam to a point where the high points thereof above and below the center and asagna diagonally opposite each other "engage the strips 43 and 44. Upon upward movement of the arm 16, the high points 28 and 29 will be brought into engagement with the strips 43 and 44. Such movement com- The dotted line positions shown in Figure- 2 indicate the general conformity of the shoes when so distorted from normal position. It will be seen, however, that while a progressive resistance is set up tending to prevent relative rotation of the moving parts of the device, hence the axle, there is no positive stop which mi ht tend to cause fracture of the parts. l pon the reaction or recoil of the vehicle body, owing to' the normal functioning of the supporting spring 12, the opposite high points of the cam, namely 28' and 29, engage the shoes '35 and 36, and reduce the degree of motion in the opposite direction; thus the movement of the body of the vehicle relative the ground or roadway, is materially reduced, so that while the axle may follow with precision all of the severe uneven places in a roadway, the body of the vehicle 'Wlll be caused to travel in a substantially even horizontal plane at all times.

While the plate 18 is shown and described as connected ri idly to the chassis of the vehicle, it will be obvious that if desired an arm may be provided on the plate similar tothe arm 16, and pivotally connected to the frame, if desired. The frame or chassis acts as such an arm in the present mounting of the device. Furthermore, by changing the high points of the cam different degrees of pressure and resultant friction may be had in dilferent directions. Such a modification is readily within the scope of the present invention, and has therefore not been shown. lln view of the possibility of such modifications when plac ing the evice on the market, I reserve the right to make such changes as do not do part from the spirit and scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In combination. two relatively rotatable elements, one of which has a circular wall, spring means on the other element for surface en agement with said wall, and means carried by the element having the circular wall and rotatable therewith for adapted to assume normal relative positions,

one of said elements having a circular wall,

messes v 5 means on the other element for surface engagement with saici weiL and meenscm" iment of the elements in either direction from normal position.

'3. in a shock absorber of the class (isscrioeci two reiebiveiy iotstahie elements atisptect. for connection between the frame and of a vehicle, means cziirieci by one of said eiements engegeebie with the QtilEi of said e emeiits "fey ests oiisiiing yieicisee iesistsiicc t ieii -reiotive movement ""18 the eioment with which seiti resists-nee estobiisiiizig means i" eoie tiiei'ewitii for H1813? e establishing with ssici engo x 111g e ciess d8 to eiements I eiements inevmesiis on the v y engs eniei t means eei'rieei by the sire-- rotatable thei'ewiti'i easing" ioi'ce into engagement with the ss-iol elements ete reistiveiy moveti out iiormet position in 5.. in e shock absorber of the ciess tiescribed two relatively i'otatsbie elements, one of said; eiereents having 2, circular Wsii, resilient friction means the other eie .iient siiifiece en ageme with said; won, and coin means cerrieci by element he rcireuisr Weii and rots'eabie Ei111- with for moving" said resilient, means into v engagementwith said Waii upon relative totation of the elements, ssiti resilient means being arranged. oetween the weii and ssici com means 7 V 6-. shock absorber oi the class desciibezi two reietiveiy rotatable elements adapted for connection between the frame and axis of veiiicie, one of seici elements having a cii'eoiei W291i 'ieieiebie spring shoes on the other eiemeii nominally out of engagement We and a cam carried by and rotstobie with the element having the ciecuisr Weii for moving seiti shoes with progressively increasing force into engagement with the when ssici adapted for coi'm .011 between frame end axle of s vetiie'ie Eikti to e normal position, fiexi'bie shoes carried by one of said eiementsenii arranged adjacent the other element and com means carried by end rotstabie with said other element for moving: said shoes progressively into yieiding engagement with the element cerrying said iiieens said cam means peemittingg limited Peiative' movement of the eiements without actuation of 't-iie shoes,

8. a. shock ebsor of the class tie- S'JFEQBQOL two ireie-tiveiy Y'O'ilibfifibi eiements for connection between the frame and sxie of a ireizicie, one of eiements having 2; eircuise weii carrying e, cam, ssiti eiements to assume friction moses either oi.

s r c101 s. g iu'rsiity o; t'ie'eon shoes feces nomieiiy oi iess reoi i Wail iimiteeli meme seen I with iii-creass-iioi s yeistive movement of the eiements iii eithet' tiifectii i6; is siioei; ebsoroez; o"? the eiess c'lesceJo-mi two reistivei i otetooie meets, one

pvt comps sing a coin and am enclosing eiui the other pert spmitig shoe sole? cam moving semi shoe into engagement Wits casing; upon eeietive.

rotation between the 3 is M. iii a device pair of e epteci or with parts subject to reieeive moimeet, as yieidsiiie siioe iiieiudiiigg psi; ci oppo eiteiy curved yieiciebie to be spreeei into engagement one of mei'iiiiers end cam means, co-ogiersoie the other of shoe portions foe effecting the spreading; oi ssici portion upon relative movement between the pasts.

12: In combination with parts subject to eistive movement, of base member etiepted for connection with one of ssici ports, bese member savior a, projecting stutii 2o second. rotewreiy mooeteei open oitions, one seiepte 1 messes said projecting stud and adapted for concurved portion for efi'ecting engagement of nection with the other of said parts, a yieldsaid first curved portion with said second able shoe attached to the base member, said member upon relative movement between 1 shoe including a yieldable curved portion the parts.

5 adapted for engagement with said second In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe member and an oppositely curved portion my name this 28th day of December 1920. and means engageable with said oppositely TON E. CHANDLER. 

